The Year
by strawberryylollipops
Summary: 15 year old Marie is a cancer patient with one year to live and a dream that will never be fulfilled. She wants to see the world. However, when the Doctor arrives at her hospital room looking for someone to share an adventure with, she may just get her wish.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hi! This is a story written by me, Lauren, and my friend Audrey, who also uses this account. This is my first time uploading anything on this website, so if you have any ways I could make this story better, please comment and let me know! Currently this story is just a one chapter trail run, but let me know if you like it and I'll try to continue it (after finals though, haha). This is not a Doctor/OC story, although there might be a different pairing later...I haven't decided yet.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who. I only own Marie, Luke, and Marie's mom.**

**With that said, let the story begin!**

The heart monitor is all I hear.

I'm going to die in less than a year. My cancer has resurfaced.

I numbly turn my head, my eyes finding the mirror that was mounted on the cream-colored wall to my right. What I see is nothing like my usual self. I wouldn't have recognized the reflection, had it not mimicked my exact moves . Transparent skin, eyes bloodshot and weary. A beanie covers my head, the ends of my red hair poking out in it's short pixie cut. My locks had just started to grow back from the last round of chemotherapy. A large-fitting hospital gown covers me, barely clinging onto my bony shoulders.

No matter what the doctors say, I know that there is no chance I will survive this time. I don't want to go through the hell that was chemotherapy again. I want to spend my last days on this planet with my family and friends.

The sounds emitting from my surrounding start to return, and I realize the doctor is calling my name.

"Marie? Marie, I realize you've just had a big shock, but we need to discuss treatment options."

My mom is sitting in the corner, perched on the edge of an uncomfortable looking plastic chair, constantly wiping the beads of tears that streamed down her cheeks.

The memory of my last chemotherapy treatment resurfaced, and I unintentionally cringed. I was utterly miserable and felt like I'd entered hell. My beautiful long, fiery red hair fell out in clumps. I constantly threw up and saw no need to eat or dress. Yet, my mom always seemed to be there for me. She would plump my pillows, spoon feed me, dress me like I was still a baby, and even help me to the toilet. You name it, mom was there. She never speaks of it, but I know that if I felt like I was in hell, mom must have felt like she was in the special part reserved for Satan, not being able to help her child. I don't want her to go through that ever again.

"Marie?" Doctor Bloom inquires again, a busy eyebrow arched.

My eyes find him and I manage to gasp out one word. I haven't spoken in days, so the sound of my raspy voice almost made me jump.

"No."

The doctor's eyes widen and he hastily says, "But surely you want to at least attempt to-"

"No," I cut him off, my voice slightly clearer, though it still sounds like someone grinding an ax against a stone. "I know my chances and I would rather spend that time with family and die as peacefully as possible."

Mom's tears have finally subsided and she speaks up. "Marie, are you sure?"

My dark brown eyes meet her steely blue ones. "Positive."

Mom and Doctor Bloom leave the room to sign forms. I slouch back against the metal headboard, trying to process what I had just agreed to.

A knocking on the door wrenched me from my pity party. A man is standing there, dressed quite strangely in my opinion. He wears a tweed jacket, brown slacks and a red bowtie. I even see red suspenders peeking out from under his jacket. He looked like a child who had raided his grandpa's wardrobe.

"Hello! I'm the Doctor." he exclaimed. A bright smile adorned his face. Yes, definitely a child at heart.

I stared at his strange appearance for a few more seconds before finally responding. "Hello. Do I know you? I think you might have the wrong room. Doctor Bloom is my doctor."

"No, not a doctor, the Doctor. Actually, I'm not looking for anyone in particular. Well, I am, but not a person. Unless you know someone named aliens or trouble or people trying to take over the world." He rambled.

I blinked. "Uh, I know the way back to the psychiatric ward from here, if you need help finding it…"

He brightened. "Okay! You can be my escort. Maybe we can find trouble there."

"Right." I mutter under my breath.

I push the itchy cotton sheet off of my frail legs and set my feet on the floor, using the bed to push myself up. The Doctor watches me carefully with the same look everyone gives me. Like I'm going to break.

"Need help?" He asks nonchalantly.

"I'm fine." I mutter. I can walk just fine, thank you very much. For now, anyway.

I get to the door and look both ways down the hall. Mom will have a heart attack if she finds me missing. Thankfully the paperwork should take a while.

I crept down the hall, the Doctor right on my heels. To his credit, he is good at sneaking around. We dodge nurses and doctors that barely notice us, rushing past to help others sick and wounded.

I nearly walk right past room 531 before I remember.

"Wait." I tell the Doctor. He nearly runs into me when I stop. I poke my head in the door.

A 10 year old cancer patient named Luke sits on the bed. He is my only friend here. Every day I thank whatever God may exist out there that his chemotherapy treatments are working and one day he will go home and live out the rest of his life. Maybe he'll travel, see the world. All the things I wish for desperately on every star and know will never happen for me.

If there is a heaven up there and I somehow make it there, I plan on being Luke's guardian angel.

"Luke?" I call softly. He looks up at me. I can tell he's been crying. I sit down next to him on the bed.

I dig in my pocket and find the lollipop I had planned to give him today. I handed the strawberry flavored candy to him and his entire face brightens like the sun and the stars have combined.

I give him a hug and plant a soft kiss on his head.

I leave without another word.

The Doctor stood at the doorway, looking at me with a melancholy smile on his face. I glanced at him and turned the corner, walking ahead. I heard his footsteps resume after a second or two. He caught up with my slow pace quickly and walked beside me.

"So, why are you here?" The Doctor says, obviously attempting to make small talk.

"You're in the cancer ward. Why do you think?" I say bluntly.

His face falls a bit and I am suddenly reminded of Luke.

I sigh softly. "I'm sorry, that was rude."

Our footsteps echo on the tile in the hall.

"I guess I've just gotten out of practice with talking to people." I add quietly.

"Me too, I suppose." The Doctor said. I looked at him out of the corner of my eye and I knew.

"Lost someone?" I say simply.

"Two someones. The best people I've ever known." He mutters. He looks up for a moment, blinking away tears. I turn my glance away, respecting his privacy.

"How did you know?" He says finally.

I gesture around the hall. "We're in a hospital. I see broken people everywhere, and most of them aren't the patients. It's the families."

"Well, you're right. I lost my family."

I spend a few minutes trying to figure out how to reply to that when the Doctor changes the subject.

"If you could get out of here, not be sick, what would you do with your life?" He asks curiously, granting me a smile.

"I would travel. I've always wanted to see as much of the world as possible. But being so sick, I rarely even leave the hospital." I sigh. Then a grin comes onto my face as an old memory finds me.

"What?" The Doctor asks.

"I just remembered. Sometimes Luke and I used to try to sneak out of the hospital. We always got caught, except once. It was raining like crazy outside, which meant the hospital was busy with car accident victims who couldn't see in the rain. Luke and I snuck up onto the roof with an umbrella and danced the rain."

I shake the memory off. "It's one of my favorite memories." I say rather awkwardly. "We always planned to beat our cancers and explore the world together. Maybe he'll still get to. Just not with me."

I look down to the ground. "I still feel guilty for leaving him all alone when my cancer got worse and I started getting more chemotherapy. He visited me whenever he could and I barely acknowledged his presence. He was my light in a sea of darkness."

I suddenly realize that because I had gotten so caught up in my storytelling, I have been aimlessly leading the Doctor absolutely nowhere. I stop in the middle of the hall.

"I'm sorry, I forgot I was taking you to the psychiatric ward. Do you still want to go there?"

The Doctor shakes his head. "No. I think I've figured out why the TARDIS brought me here. You. I can take you on the adventure of a lifetime, if you want to come." He grins widely before setting off at a run. "Follow me!" He calls.

"TARDIS? Adventure of a lifetime? Huh?" I shook my head, trying to make sense of what the Doctor had said.

One phrase stood out to me that i couldn't refuse. Adventure of a lifetime….

"Wait up!" I yelled, walking as fast as my weak legs would take me.


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N:**_

_**Thank you for all the outstanding reviews; it really boosts our inspiration level. **_

_**Finals are coming up for Lauren, so chapter 3 may take a little while. I - Audrey - will do as much as I can, but I'm not making any promises.**_

_**Thanks again for being fabulous!**_

_**Disclaimer: We do not own Doctor Who. We only claim ownership for Marie, Luke, and Marie's mom. **_

When I finally caught up to the Doctor, he was standing beside a dark blue wooden box, with the words 'POLICE PUBLIC CALL BOX' in glowing letters, near the top.

"I thought...we… we were going on...an adventure." I wheezed, doubling over. A cough erupted from my raspy throat, sending me into a spiral of dizziness. A moment later, I sucked in a long breath, and stood up straight.

"We are! Get in the TARDIS." The Doctor said, grinning like a loon, though his eyes betrayed a hint of worry.

That settled it, I had followed a madman. He actually wanted me to get in his box and pretend we were going on an adventure.

The skepticism must have showed on my face, because the Doctor turned and looked me in the eyes, a mask of seriousness darkening his face.

"Just open the door. If you don't like what you see, you can turn around and go back to your room."

My mind decided to make itself up, and I spared the Doctor one last wary glance before grabbing hold of the silver handle and yanking the door open.

"See? It's just a...wooden...box…" At this point I actually took the time to look into the seemingly normal box, which resulted in nothing that I had expected. Instead of a small, dark space with barely enough capacity for one person, I found a huge silver colored room with a large console in the center, glittering with buttons I desperately wanted to press. My eyes followed the blue tube of light and found revolving discs, with circles and lines in various patterns and sizes.

I nearly fell over as I whirled around to stare at the Doctor. His wild grin was back, and he was rocking back and forth in what I assumed to be anticipation.

"It's...it's…" I began.

"Bigger on the inside." We said in unison.

Obviously I hadn't been the first person to announce that discovery.

I walked over to the console and ran my fingers over the buttons, knobs, and levers.

"Don't touch those!" The Doctor cried, waving his hands around in a desperate attempt for me to stop.

"Why not?" I grinned mischievously. "What's the worst thing that could happen?"

"You could create a never ending time loop, a long series of paradoxes, or destroy an entire galaxy, just by pressing one button." The Doctor said, holding his hands out in a 'stop' motion.

I burst out laughing, hacking out coughs in between. All of a sudden, I felt dizzy, and was relieved to find a chair conveniently sitting nearby. After I took a seat, I continued to giggle as though nothing had happened. I looked up at the Doctor, expecting him to be laughing too. Instead, I found a deathly serious face glaring back at me.

"You're...actually serious." I murmured, my grin rapidly sliding off my face, a frightened look replacing it.

"Just don't press anything, okay? Not unless I tell you to. None of those things will happen so long as you don't press any buttons. I didn't mean to scare you." The Doctor said quickly. He shuffled around the room, looking to escape this awkward moment. Suddenly, his face brightened and he turned back to me.

"Why don't you find your room? The TARDIS will help you create whatever you want."

"The TARDIS? Is that what you called this thing?" I asked, flicking the side of the console.

The lights flared angrily, and I jumped a bit in my seat.

"She's sentient." The Doctor replied. "She'll help, won't you dear?" He shouted this part up towards the ceiling. The lights lowered, and I knew somehow that I had been forgiven.

I pushed myself out of the chair with some difficulty. My joints had begun to hurt, and I contemplated sitting down again.

I gathered my strength and turned towards the Doctor. "Uh, where am I going, exactly?"

He pointed towards a hallway nearby. Lights blazed to life on the floor that would guide me farther into the depths of the ship.

I walked over to the hallway and spared the Doctor one last glance before I entered. I cautiously followed the trail of glowing lights. A soft giggle escaped my lips as I was led past an Olympic sized pool. Next, was a library that made me want to stop and read in it's soft chairs, next to a warm fireplace. I was finally led down a long corridor with names on each door. I slowed down, curiously reading the names on the golden plaques.

"Rose, Martha, Donna…" I whispered to myself.

I was tempted to open one of them, but my conscience told me otherwise and the flaring lights on the floor seemed to agree, so I continued on.

At the end of the corridor, I found a door with my name on it. I took a deep breath and pulled it open.

On the other side of the door was a large room with turquoise walls, my favorite color. A queen sized bed with a soft, flowered comforter and a few pillows sat in the corner of the room. A CPAP breathing machine stood next to the bed; I knew it was to help me breathe at night. On the other side of the bed there was a nightstand, littered with orange bottles that were topped with medicine measuring cups. Upon closer inspection, I realized they were pain medicines for my joints, cough medications and medicines to help with the nausea. A thermometer and a glass of water sat on the only available corner.

Over in the corner was a fairly large desk. A jar filled with pencils and markers for drawing sat on the corner of the wood. Whether it was luck or fate, the TARDIS had discovered my passion for drawing. A red sketchbook sat on the desk as well. My limited strength was beginning to leave me once more, so I sat down in the soft, brown armchair in front of the desk. After a moment of relaxation, I opened the sketchbook's crisp pages, and selected a perfectly sharpened pencil out of the jar.

I wish Luke was here.

I pressed the book's pages down with my wrist, and began sketching my only friend. He was leaning against the TARDIS console amidst the buttons and knobs, smiling down at me, whom I portrayed sitting on the floor, grinning up at him. We both looked happy, strong, and overjoyed to be on the adventure we had always dreamed of.

I got so lost in my drawing that when I turned to look at the clock on the nightstand, nearly an hour had passed.

I was exhausted, but I needed to let the Doctor know that I was going to take a nap. He was probably already worried about me getting lost.

If the ship was sentient, maybe she could get a message to him for me.

"Uh, TARDIS?" I called out into the air, immediately feeling silly.

The lights flashed softly, and I relaxed.

"Could you tell the Doctor that I'm going to sleep now?" I asked.

The lights glowed again, which I decided to take as a 'yes'. I was too tired to do anything else, anyway.

I collapsed onto the bed and snuggled under the covers. Exhaustion overtook me, and I soon fell into a deep sleep.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

In the TARDIS console room, a series of Gallifreyan flashed across the screen as Marie's message was conveyed.

"Thanks for telling me, dear." The Doctor smiled up at the ceiling. He paced around the glass deck for a moment, before turning back to the screen.

"Now, maybe you could answer my question. Why is Marie so important? Why did you lead me to her?"

The TARDIS did not reply.


	3. Chapter 3

After I opened my eyes, I was greeted with a world of haze. A yawn escaped my mouth as I stretched my arms out above me. I reached up to flatten down a ginger cowlick that stuck out from my forehead. When I was finally awake enough to take in my surroundings, I was thrusted into the realization that I was not in my bedroom.

Jerking upwards into a seated position, I had a minor panic attack before the events of the previous day began rushing back to me. My lips began to stretch into a grin. Maybe the Doctor would take me on an adventure today.

I shoved the plush covers off of my skinny legs, and used the bed to push myself up. I walked over to a door in the corner and opened it, expecting a small closet with a few hand-me-downs from previous TARDIS occupants. Instead, I found a large room that had clothes packed in every corner, and lining every wall. I clapped my hand to my mouth in surprise and gave an involuntary gasp of delight.

Five minutes later, clothes were strewn all around the closet, and the bedroom, as a result of trying to find something to wear. I had no idea where we would be going. Would I need clothes for warm or cold weather? I finally decided to play it safe with layers. I put on a turquoise t-shirt, a pair of lightly faded skinny jeans, and a warm, brown jacket. I found a drawer of socks and pulled out a pair of plain white ones that looked fairly soft.

I stumbled around in my newly sock-covered feet before finding the shoe rack. I nearly squealed when I saw the selection. Ruby colored heels, running shoes that each had a purple stripe, light pink ballet flats, sandals for the beach, and even a pair of blue converse. However, none of these were quite right.

Finally, I saw a mahogany colored pair of leather lace up ankle boots. I promptly sat down on the floor next to the shoes and pulled them on, tying the laces tightly and double knotting them. I stood up and tapped my toes against the ground, testing them out. They were an exact fit and suited me perfectly. I was never going to take these off.

I gazed around the room, cringing at the atrocious mess I had created. I attempted to pick up after myself, but I soon grew bored, and decided it could wait. I needed to save all of my strength for later today, anyway.

I picked my way out of the bedroom and closed the door behind me. I walked down the hall of previous visitors, whistling softly to myself. The TARDIS was kind enough to light up the floor and guide me to what I hoped was the kitchen. I was not disappointed.

I entered the small room, which looked similar to that of a coffee shop. It felt warm and cozy, for which I was grateful. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the Doctor loading up his plate with an odd combination of what looked suspiciously like fish fingers and custard. I was wrinkling my nose at the thought, when he gestured me over. I tucked my chilly hands into my jacket pockets and walked over to the buffet.

"Good morning, Doctor." I greeted him cheerfully, leaning against the counter.

"Good morning, Marie!" He responded, dipping a fish finger into a bowl of the yellow paste, and shoving it in his mouth. "Are you ready for the adventure of a lifetime?" He asked between chews. A small laugh escaped my lips at the ridiculousness of the Doctor's meal.

"Indeed I am, Doctor." I replied, pulling my hands out of my pockets and beginning to fill up a plate. Back at the hospital, I would never have been granted this large of a variety of foods and drinks. To be honest, the hospital food was disgusting, so this was a welcomed change.

I was barely managing to balance a large amount of fresh, plump grapes on my plate, so I decided I had enough food. I set the dish on the counter and started pulling up a chair. "So," I began, sitting down next to the Doctor. "Where exactly are we going today?"

"Well, it's your first adventure. I usually let my companions pick."

"Companions?" I asked, pulling grape off the vine and plopping it in my mouth.

"My friends who travel with me." He explained, leaning over and grabbing a grape off my plate.

"Hey!" I yelled, smacking his hand.

He stuck his tongue out at me, so I grabbed a pre-dipped fish finger off his plate and plopped it in my mouth, just to get back at him. I chewed on the morsel for a moment before announcing, "Hey, this is actually pretty good." whilst being caught up in my own surprise.

"Well, Amy Pond would be glad to hear you say so," He shot back before dropping the grin and looking back into his bowl of custard.

I sat there for a moment before getting up from my chair and wrapping my arms around him. Just like with Luke, I could tell that the Doctor needed a hug.

He stiffened for a moment in surprise, then relaxed.

"Thank you." He muttered, obviously a little embarrassed that I had seen his weak moment.

I sat back down in my chair and chewed on another grape.

"So," the Doctor said, regaining his good humor. "Where do you want to go? What do you want to see?"

I sat back in my chair, contemplating. "How far can this thing drive per hour? I don't want to take up to much of your time."

"Oh, only a minute to go wherever you want. Past, present, future, and anywhere in the universe you could dream of."

I coughed on a mouthful of food in surprise. "Did you just say this...TARDIS.." I remembered to say instead of "thing." "Travels in time and space?"

"Yup. That's what TARDIS stands for. Time And Relative Dimensions In Space."

"Hmmm." I thought for a moment. "You know more exciting places than I do, you've probably seen them all. Will you pick for me?"

The Doctor looked a little surprised. "Sure, I suppose. How about the most beautiful planet, well, second most beautiful planet in the universe? It's difficult to get to, but I think the TARDIS could manage it."

I arched an eyebrow, a skeptic look crossing my face. "Why can't we go to the first?"

The doctor waved his hand in a dismissing movement. "Because, it's the planet of coffee shops. It's rather boring, to be honest."

I nod eagerly, happy to go anywhere. "Let's go!" I exclaim, shoving a few last bites of breakfast into my mouth before jumping up and putting my dish in a futuristic looking dishwasher. The Doctor picks up his plate and puts his dish in the dishwasher too, before turning to follow me to the console room. I am already a ways ahead, walking as fast as I can manage.

The Doctor finally joins me in the console room and begins pressing buttons, turning knobs, and pulling levers, jolting us around unexpectedly. I had fallen into a chair for the bumpy ride, and watched him eagerly as he pulled down the screen.

He looked at the screen, confused for a moment, before shaking his head. "Silly planets with their untrackable locations…" He mutters to himself before walking over to the TARDIS doors and motioning me over.

"I give you," He says with an over exaggerated bravo, moving toward the doors and throwing them open. "Sunsets, spires, soaring silver colonnades!"

We look out onto a courtyard. "Oh not again." He says, his arms falling down to his sides in exasperation.

"What is it?" I ask, stepping out into the beautiful courtyard.

"Wait, Marie," he begins, stepping out as well.

The TARDIS doors slam shut behind us, clicking as they lock.

"...I don't know where we are and it could be potentially dangerous." He finishes.

He begins pulling on the doors and fiddling with a wand-like, silver tool he has pulled from his jacket pocket. He begins muttering to himself before he calls out an offhanded, "Don't wander off!"

"Yeah, okay," I yell back, already looking around. I walk across the soft green grass until I finally looked up, seeing an arch covered in overgrown vines. I peered around the inside of the arch and saw walls of green leaves going in different directions. A maze.

I put one foot over the barrier and a hologram form in the shape of a man appears next to me.

"Doctor?" I call cautiously over my shoulder.

The Doctor stops his muttering and turns around. "Marie, I thought I told you not to wander off!"

"I only walked a little ways away, I didn't consider this wandering off!" I exclaimed, watching the hologram man carefully. He didn't move, only stood there looking off into the distance.

"Doctor, why isn't he moving?" I asked a little fearfully.

"You walked up to the arch and accepted his challenge. He won't tell you the instructions until I accept as well."

"I didn't want to accept the challenge, I didn't even know about it!" I cried. I tried to step backwards, away from the frightening projection, but I found that my feet would not move.

"Doctor, my feet won't move." I gasped, straining to move.

He sighed and walked up closer. "I expected as much. He won't allow you to leave. No offense, but it's me he wants. You're the bait."

And with that, he stepped over the barrier.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry this took so long! Unfortunately, a horrible case of writer's block coupled with the fact that school is starting up again will probably cause chapter 5 to take a while. I'll try to get back on track with updating soon.**

**For now though, enjoy chapter 4! (Sorry in advance for the angst...please don't hate me.)**

**-Lauren**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who. I only own Marie, Luke, and Marie's mom.**

The Doctor's foot fell over the barrier.

The hologram man flickered to life, and rested his gaze upon us.

"You have accepted the challenge. The instructions will now be given." The hologram stated in a monotonous voice.

"I have locked your TARDIS. It will now be transported to my chambers. It will be returned to you when the challenge has been completed." The man stated.

The Doctor nodded his head seriously before he realized what the hologram figure had said. "What? No, you can't just do that, the TARDIS can't be moved by anyone but me-"

The TARDIS had already begun to fade. The Doctor spun around, and I craned my neck to look as the whooshing sounds faded with the ancient machine.

"How did you do that?" The Doctor shouted at the hologram.

The hologram appeared not to have heard him. "The instructions are as follows."

The Doctor's expression had hardened, but he stayed silent and gave the hologram man his full attention.

"You will enter the maze and retrieve something for me. One of my enemies stole a very valuable object of mine and placed it at the center of this maze. He set monsters loose to guard the center, making the journey a test of the mind as well as the body. These monsters will attempt to attack you as you venture towards the center. They are terrifying creatures, and should be avoided at all costs." He flickered once before continuing.

"Once you have retrieved the item, you will find a key in the center of the maze, which will open the impenetrable door nearby. It is the only way to exit the maze without backtracking. I will wait for you outside of the door and return your TARDIS to you when I am once again in possession of my precious item."

"Your journey begins now. Good luck." The man finished before flickering away.

"Doctor?" I called, straining to glance at him. "Is he serious?"

"Yes," he said. "I'm afraid so."

I took a deep breath. "Let's go then."

The Doctor did a double take. "You actually want to be attacked by monsters?"

"Oh, yes, I definitely _want_ to be attacked by terrifying creatures!" I replied sarcastically. Then I turned my head towards the maze. "I did ask for an adventure. I'll take the monsters if I have to." I said, my voice low and steely. The invisible bonds around my feet were lifted, and I could walk once more.

I began to venture into the maze, and I soon heard the Doctor's footsteps behind me, crunching the dead grass. The grass after the entry was dried up. It was a sudden transition from the beauty of the courtyard into the darkness of the maze.

We walked for about a minute in silence. I chewed on my lower lip nervously as we approached the first fork in the leafy walls.

The Doctor looked left and right before turning to me. "We'll go this way." He said, pointing to the right.

"Wait." I murmured, holding him back. Backs pressed against the wall, we breathed as quietly as possible as a beast glided past. He appeared to be a shadow, a giant blackness over the grass. The land it had swept over withered away into dried, dead grass. It gave the appearance that even the grass was terrified.

"What is that thing?" I whispered, my eyes wider than saucers.

"It's an Erebus." the Doctor muttered in reply. "They can transform into your worst fears, but without seeing you, they will take the form of a shadow."

"Sounds a bit Harry Potter." I responded, cracking a grin, despite the dangerous situation we were in.

The Doctor turned to glance at me, a knowing look in his eyes. "They were the inspiration for Dementors, J.K. Rowling saw one as a child."

The Erebus turned the corner and I breathed a deep sigh of relief.

The Doctor began taking the right turn, before I stopped him again.

"What is it now?" The Doctor asked.

"If the Erebus' are guarding the center of the maze, doesn't it make sense we should go the way the Erebus went?"

"...That actually makes a lot of sense. Good idea, Marie." The Doctor acknowledged appreciatively.

"No problem." I responded, taking the left turn, and following the path the shadow had taken.

We walked in silence once more. Our footsteps were carefully taken in a cautious effort not to alert the Erebus of our presence. The grass grew browner as we followed the Erebus' path. We were approaching the center of the maze.

My boots crunched noisily on dead grass that had turned an ever darker shade of brown. I winced as I prepared to run. However, the Erebus didn't even turn around. I relaxed, frowning. Maybe the Erebus' were deaf.

I was still worried. This was far too easy.

As we walked, the mechanisms in my brain began going to work as I replayed what the hologram had said.

"Doctor, the hologram man said something about his worst enemy stealing the object. Who, or what, is his worst enemy?" I asked softly, turning to glance over my shoulder. The Doctor had taken out his sliver stick again, and had begun scanning the bushes. The end of the stick glowed green, and emitted a buzzing noise. I watched the Erebus warily, but it didn't take notice of the sound.

"I don't know, Marie. But whatever it is, it will be dangerous. Should we encounter it, I want you to turn around and run as fast as you can. Understand?"

I opened my mouth to protest, but the Doctor had already turned away. His gaze was now on the sky, which had grown considerably darker. I had been right. This was too easy. The Erebus had led us right into a trap.

"They found us," The Doctor said solemnly, tucking the stick into his jacket pocket. The Doctor threw his hands up, a mischievous smile crossing his face.

"Come on then. Come and get us!"

The Erebus swooped in, surrounding the Doctor and I until we were back to back. There was nowhere to run. There was a pedestal a short distance away, and I knew it housed the object the hologram man wanted so desperately. We were so close…

An Erebus dropped down in front of the Doctor, and I turned to face it with him. The shadow-like creature shifted, changing color and shape faster than I could register. It's image flickered around before finally settling on two figures. A man with sandy colored hair clothed in a green jacket stood before us, with a hand enveloped in his own. The hand in question belonged to a fiery haired woman in a light brown jacket and black and white striped shirt.

The Doctor's face collapsed from his smile into something completely different. I looked between him and the couple a few times, before finally settling on the Doctor's face. He looked lost and grief stricken.

"Doctor…" I trailed off, staring at him.

I glanced up at the sky. The Erebus' swirled in circles, creating the illusion of a black sky. They appeared to be waiting for the couple to finish us off. I gulped, turning my attention back to the Doctor.

"Raggedy man…" The woman spoke up. "Goodbye." The couple began to slowly fade.

"No!" The Doctor cried out, his voice filled with pain, and tears welling up in his eyes.

The woman reached a longing hand out to him, and the Doctor stretched his out, poised to take her hand in his.

My eyes widened as I realized this was how the Erebus were going to capture us. I began tugging the Doctor away. The couple faded slightly as the space between the Doctor and the woman's outstretched hands began to drift further apart.

"Stop it, Marie! I have to get to Amy, she needs me!" He shouted tearfully, still reaching out.

Amy...why did that name sound so familiar?

The golden plaques in the hallway of companions. The plaque right next to my door, the one with two names instead of one. Amy and Rory.

Oh no.

"Doctor, she's not real, they're just trying to get to you so they can kill us!" I shouted in his ear, continuing to pull him away. I was fighting a losing battle; the Doctor was much stronger than me.

I broke into a coughing fit and nearly collapsed. I wasn't going to last much longer, even with this adrenaline pumping through my veins.

"Doctor!" I screamed one last time.

The Doctor's eyes travelled slowly over to me, unseeing and unfeeling in his grief.

"That's it." I said coaxingly. "Look at me."

His eyes lifted to meet mine.

"They. Aren't. Real." I emphasized each word.

The veil in his eyes began to clear. He collapsed onto the ground.

Amy and Rory disappeared and a dark cloud exploded as the Erebus died before fading away into nothingness.

"Come on, Doctor!" I said, grabbing his hand and trying to pull him up. We weren't out of the danger yet.

"Marie?" A small voice behind me called.

I knew that voice. I swiveled slowly.

There was Luke. He stood in a white hospital gown, barefoot on the grass. His hand gripped a strawberry lollipop as if it were his lifeline.

I dropped the Doctor's hand.

Luke's eyes stared up at me, filled with loneliness. He missed me. He needed me.

Wait, this wasn't real. This was like Amy and Ro-

Suddenly, an Erebus swooped down and scooped up my small friend. I shook my head, banishing my doubtful thoughts and focused on saving Luke.

"Marie!" He shouted, reaching out to me. He wasn't too far in the air, maybe I could grab him.

I stretched my hand up as far as I could, my vision going in and out of focus through my tears.

"Luke!" I screeched, my fingers missing him by a fraction of an inch. I tripped and collapsed on the dead grass, tears beginning to streak my face. In my grief, I missed the two Erebus' exploding into black ash as they grew farther away. Long, heart wrenching sobs emitted from my throat, and I clutched my sides. I curled into a ball and cried. All I could hear was loud buzzing in my ears as my thoughts repeated a mantra. _Luke, Luke, Luke..._

After what felt like hours, but was likely only minutes, I felt a hand on my back. My tears were slowly reduced to dry sobs, and the arms enveloped me into a hug. I relaxed into a limp position and buried my face into the Doctor's shoulder.

"That was awful. It was like he was actually there." I gasped between hiccups.

"I know. I promise you will never have to go through that again." The Doctor said softly.

I believed him.

I shakily got to my feet. "Where are the rest of the Erebus'?" I looked up to the sky. They were still there, but instead of swirling in circles they were banging against an invisible shield.

The Doctor followed my gaze. "There's a shield on the foot of the pedestal. It was created by the hologram man's enemy when he placed the object here so the Erebus' wouldn't attack him. There's a code lock, but I managed to hack into it with the sonic and shield us temporarily."

"Sonic?" I enquired.

The Doctor pulled his metal wand out of his jacket pocket. "Sonic screwdriver. It comes in handy."

I didn't ask questions like I normally would have. I just nodded my head and walked towards the pedestal. I wanted to get this over with.

As I approached, I looked over the pedestal. It was a rusty gold and had a cover on the top. I ran my hands over the cover, and found the latch. I pried the old mechanism open.

**The Doctor and I watched in anticipation as I lifted the cover off, revealing what was inside. **


End file.
